To my surprise, Issac walked into the room. He sat down beside me, studying my face.
"Hello, Issac," I said, surprised by how normal my voice sounded.
"So your name's Lystra Fay?" he asked finally
I nodded, not finding any words to say.
"My mother used to tell me stories," Issac said slowly "of fairies. Some, she said, were known as Fay."
I smiled nodding. "My mother did too. She named me after the smallest, but the most important Fay – Lystra." I stopped, because we were approaching a hard subject.
"What did Lystra the Fay do" Issac asked. He curled up on the couch beside me, eyes wide and bright. I was suddenly reminded of . . . me. Curling up next to my mom, wanting to hear a story about Lystra the Fay.
"Well . . ." I hesitated, but gave in. "Lystra was born in a time when the Fay weren't free; the goblins from the north had taken control of the Fay kingdom.
"Now, the goblins ruled harshly. They punished the Fay unfairly for simple, desperate crimes that they had been forced to commit do to their hunger. The Fay were underfed and made to work for the goblins in harsh conditions. The Fay were miserable.
"The Fay were not happy with the goblin's harsh rule, and they rebelled. But the goblins killed most of the Fay as punishment, leaving only the smallest and weakest to work for them. They often killed or injured the Fay for sport.
"Lystra was very scared of the goblins like the rest of the Fay. When another Fay was ordered to kill her for the goblin's amusement, Lystra astonished everyone and fended off her attacker. He died. Lystra never quite got over the Fay's death.
"She ran off into the deepest of forests, full of deep Fay magic. She was not pursued long by the goblins, who were afraid of the forest and their magic. But Lystra hid there, scared of being found, scared of being killed. But mostly – scared of herself. She had killed another Fay! Cowering in the forest, she often thought that she couldn't stand it anymore – that she'd just have to die.
"But then, one day, a male Fay – Trieteng – came after her. He had been desperately worried about her, and he came and found her. He helped her come back to herself – to recover after what she had done. Together, surrounded by Fay magic, in freedom, they became some of the most powerful beings of the time.
"They worked like a magnet for the other Fay, and slowly, the Fay gathered with them. Lystra and Trieteng had rebellious thoughts, and started the second rebellion. Trieteng's lively, persuasive words stirred a sudden longing inside the Fay – the need for freedom, and Lystra became the face of the rebeillion. Once they had enough Fay supporting them, they attacked the goblins.
"It was an epic battle. At first, it seemed that the goblin's might would utterly destroy the Fay – with their enormous numbers, mighty axes, and larger and stronger bodies. The goblins were much more frightening also. If a Fay dared look into a goblin's eyes, they would immediately seize up with fear, and be crushed under the goblin's axes.
"But the Fay had their wilderness magic. Being part of something – something big, important, had renewed their use of the magic, and they were more powerful than ever. Even though they, individual and together, were smaller than the goblins, their magic made the two armies equal.
"But when a Fay fell, their magical creations disappeared – the trees they had made to trap a goblin, or the vines chocking another. The goblins pressed forward with their mighty axes, and many Fay fell.
"But Trieteng and Lystra didn't fall. Trieteng inspired the Fay, giving them directions in the battle – frightening and powerful. Lystra was also inspirational, surrounded by her bright green glow. She fought quietly, amongst the Fay, making quiet victories.
"As the Fay fell, and the battle seemed to be turning to the favor of the goblins, Lystra found something awaken in her. Something deeper than the magic – destiny. She felt it : leadership. It was thick and powerful, and Lystra knew what she had to do.
"Battling her way to the leader of the goblins, Lystra's glow brightened, and everyone looked at her despite themselves. When the leader of the goblins saw her, he underestimated her, not knowing the power that now lay inside of her. He cried to her, 'Small one! You think you can defeat me?'
"'No!' she called truthfully up to the large goblin from her light perch on the moss-covered ground. 'But, I, Lystra the Fay, for the sake of freedom, shall die in the attempt if I must!' She flung herself into the air, up to the goblins' height. The goblin leader's arm raised as he brought his axe up, and Lystra raised her hands, palms up to the sky.
"Thus, the true struggle began. Lystra fought spectacularly, spinning about the goblin amidst a bright green haze that radiated her soul. The goblin leader roared viciously at her – a sound that could literally kill. Lystra was not affected, and she spun faster, a green blur flashing about the goblin. The goblin leader swung at her with his axe, often coming startlingly close.
"The other Fay and goblins stopped fighting to watch the battle before them. No one dared interfere for fear that they would miss their mark and hit the other. They could only watch in amazement, as, in unison, Lystra and the goblin leader struck.
"Lystra dived in and pressed her glowing green hand onto where the goblin leader's heart had to be. The goblin glowed bright green, but not in the beautiful way that Lystra did – the green came from his sickly skin – a barf-green. The goblin leader made a horrible sound of anger and pain. He swung his axe, and, concentrating of her Fay magic, Lystra failed to notice. The axe caught her on the shoulder, and she fell to the ground, dead.
"The goblin leader remained standing, and he appeared to be strong, though if you looked close enough, you could see weaknesses remaining. But his goblins rose to him, lining up behind him, and forced the Fay back, who cowered, their leader dead. Until this point, they had not realized how important Lystra was to them.
"They say that Lystra rose from the ground, alive again. They say she looked different, though she acted the same. They say she gave the goblin leader a scathing look, and uttered the spell, cast the blow that ended his breath, stopped his heart, and ended the reign of the goblins."
I stopped and gazed into Issac's eyes for a moment. I hadn't meant to tell him all that . . . but when I had spoken . . . I couldn't have forced myself to stop.
"So?" Issac asked "is what they say true?"
I shrugged my shoulders. I was feeling extremely uneasy – as I was speaking of Lystra the Fay, I had felt as though I was speaking of myself. "I don't know, Issac, I just don't know."
"Well, what do you think?"
I hesitated, thinking of the connection I had felt to Lystra the Fay. Was it just because she was my namesake? Or was there something . . . deeper? "I believe it, Issac."
Peacekeepers came to escort Issac out then. As he went out the door, he asked me,
"Am I like Trieteng?"
"Yes," my eyes filled with tears as the realization set in. I would never see Issac again.
"Then I'll be strong," Issac vowed. "Strong like Trieteng, for my sister."
My tears broke just as Issac left.